Building Committee Presents "New Morgan" To Boards

The conceptual drawing of a new Morgan School was unveiled Feb. 29 in a meeting where the Morgan Building Committee and architect David Thompson presented to the Boards of Selectmen, Finance and Education.

But don't get too attached to the drawing of the three-story, brick and wood building, said Thompson.

"This is a conceptual design only. You will not be voting on this particular design and nothing about it cannot be changed," he said.

Come again?

Thompson explained that his design of a new high school in a new location on Route 81 was completed to assist the construction management firm in determining a price. That price is $64.7 million.

"If the project passes referendum, you will go through a process to select an architect," said Thompson.

In other words, Thompson may not be the architect who designs the new school, if the project is approved by voters.

As First Selectman Willie Fritz explained, this meeting is to present the new school plan to the Boards of Selectman, Finance and Education who could ask questions of the committee, architect and representative from Gilbane, the construction manager. There are three meetings scheduled for the public which include March 14, March 25 and April 3. The meetings are tentatively scheduled for 7pm at The Morgan School.

A public referendum vote is tentatively scheduled for April 11.

"The boards (selectman, finance, education) did approve the Morgan Building Committee to go forward with plans for a new high school and then it went to town meeting where it was approved," said Fritz.

Committee chairman Gerry Vece added that during this time, an agreement was reached with the Richards family to purchase the 71 Killingworth Turnpike property for the new school. It now operates at Clinton Nurseries.

"Funds to purchase the new site will be offset with money gained and tax revenues coming in from the old property," said Vece.

Vece said that if the referendum vote to fund the project is approved this April 11, "the new school will be operating with students in it in 2015."

Thompson reiterated several issues and problems with the existing school and its location:

• The school is in a busy commercial district too close to Route 81
• There are limited areas for playing fields with no possibility of expansion
• Students are currently bused from the school to the playing fields at Ethel Peters Recreational Complex
• There is bad vehicular access in and out of the school with only one real entrance
• There is not enough parking for big events
• The building is a collection of additions and 26 different roof lines spread out in a "willy-nilly" fashion
• There are "miles of corridors which are wasted space"
• Its size of 155,000 square feet is more suited to a population of 860 students, not 600

Thompson presented the advantages to a new school design at a new location:

• The school is set back from the road with several different vehicular entrances for staff parking, student parking, visitors and public off-hours parking
• Students can walk to the Ethel Peters Recreational Complex
• The building will be completely handicapped accessible
• It will be an energy-efficient design
• The roof design could accept solar panels if proved cost effective
• The gymnasium can be located at the north end of the site with its own parking and entrance off Route 81
• There will be controlled access into the building
• Areas such as the auditorium and audio-visual training rooms can be located below grade to take advantage of less light
• Areas such as general classrooms can be located on the second floor with plenty of windows and natural light
• The peaked roof design will provide minimal roof area thus decreasing the potential for leaks and flashing issues
• The building will be designed and built to provide additional classroom space if the student population increases in the years ahead
• There would be no disruption to students and staff at the existing school while the new building is being constructed

Here are some facts and figures discussed in the meeting:

• Price to build the new high school on the new property: $64.75 million
• Amount the state will reimburse the town: $19.1 million
• Acreage of new property: 35 acres
• Amount of appraisal of existing school property: $5.5 million
• Amount of potential annual taxes from sale of existing school property: $530,000
• Current amount of annual taxes on 71 Killingworth Turnpike property (Clinton Nurseries): $4,400
• Amount of money spent annually in repairing and renovating existing school property: $1 million
• Square footage of new school conceptual design: 135,000 sq. ft.
• Square footage of existing school: 155,000 sq. ft.
• Population of students this year at school: 601
• Number of regular classrooms in current school: 40
• Number of proposed regular classrooms in new school: 30
• Square footage of roof in existing school: 133,000 sq. ft.
• Square footage of roof in conceptual drawing of new school: 53,000 sq. ft.
• Number of varying roof levels in existing school: 26
• Number of varying roof levels in conceptual drawing of new school: 9
• Percentage of reduction in roof flashing from existing school to new design: 93%